Body Positivity and Body Neutrality


Feb 1, 2022

 by Briana Gutierrez
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Body Positivity is something that has been in the spotlight of our social talk for a few years now, but have you ever heard of body neutrality? 

 

Let’s define the two.

 

Body Positivity: According to Anne Poirier, an intuitive eating coach quoted by Livestrong.com, body positivity “stems from the fat rights and fat acceptance activism of the 1960s — challenges the thin ideal and asserts people's right to embrace their bodies regardless of size, shape or weight”. It is an ideal that all bodies are valid and should be celebrated as such.

Example : "I love everything about my legs. My muscles, celutite and body fat are all natural and gorgeous."

 

Body Neutrality: Also defined by Poitier, body neutrality is “about seeing our bodies as neither positive nor negative." This school of thought is based on actively maintaining a neutral view of your body, recognizing it as the vessel through which you experience life. Body neutrality shifts the focus from physical appearances to the specific characteristics that make us who we are.

Example : "I love my legs because they carry me from place to place and allow me to do many things that I love."

 

While these two ideals differ slightly in practice, one is not more correct than the other. You might practice body neutrality on one day and body positivity on the next. One thing is for certain. You do not have to be positive all of the time. This is an unrealistic expectation that isn’t necessarily sustainable. As your daily surroundings and emotions change, your views will naturally shift as well. This is natural and there is room to practice both positivity and neutrality! These ideals are avenues to cultivate compassion for yourself and those around you. You can work towards loving your body just as it is AND appreciating what it does for you on a daily basis. This takes time and practice but just like many other aspects of life, it will come easier the more you work at it.

 

We here at Rock Solid Health are so honored to know you, and we can’t wait to see how you grow!